


Fitz's Most Memorable Birthdays

by heartlines



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Academy Era, Angst, Canon Compliant, Childhood, F/M, Fluff, Future AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-20
Updated: 2015-08-20
Packaged: 2018-04-16 06:13:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4614285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartlines/pseuds/heartlines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Happy Birthday, Fitz! Here's a little fic in honor of his birthday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fitz's Most Memorable Birthdays

**Five**

When Leo Fitz woke up on his fifth birthday lying next to him was a stuffed monkey that hadn’t been there the night before. He picked up the homemade card that the monkey was holding. On the front was a drawing of Leo, his curly hair wild on his head, his smile bright and happy. He was holding the hand of a monkey that was eating a banana and looking up at him. Above their heads were the words: _You are five years old_. Leo smiled happily. He knew his dad had drawn the picture. His dad was really good at drawing and painting and he was teaching Leo how to draw, though Leo preferred drawing machines and rockets more than people. He opened the card and inside was the message:

_Happy Birthday Leo! Our little monkey. Come downstairs for breakfast and more presents. Love, Mum and Dad._

Leo hugged his new monkey friend and ran downstairs, clutching him by the hand. When he got to the bottom step he heard a loud thump in the kitchen followed by a scream. Leo ran, his heart pounding from fear and no longer from excitement. When he pushed open the door, his dad was lying on the floor, a platter of pancakes was scattered on the floor by his side and his mum was leaning over his body crying.

“Leo, get the phone! Get it right now!”

He did as he was told and handed the phone over to his mum’s trembling hands. He was about to ask what was wrong with dad when his mum told him: “Go next door, Leo. Tell Mrs. Williams that we need help. Hurry!”

The urgency in his mum’s voice couldn’t be denied and Leo did as he was told, still clutching his monkey.

Later, much later, Leo sat in the empty kitchen. His mum was crying in her room and his dad was gone. Dead. He was dead.

It was an aneurism, they said. Leo didn’t know what that was and everyone was too busy crying to properly explain it to him. He would look it up in the encyclopedia tomorrow. Right now he just wanted to sit here. His monkey sat on the table in front of him. Jaime, his name would be Jaime, Leo decided. There used to be a boy in his class named Jaime who was nice to him. A lot nicer than the other kids. But they weren’t in the same class anymore because his teachers said Leo was too clever and he needed to learn with the older kids. The older kids weren’t nice. But his dad always picked him up from school and took him for ice cream, then they would go to the park and draw. His dad would draw the kids and the people. Leo would draw the slides and monkey bars. His dad joked that if they put their drawings together, they’d have a complete picture. Now his dad was gone.

Leo clutched Jaime to his chest and looked up at the lone forgotten balloon floating up near the ceiling that said ‘Happy Birthday.’ Tears fell onto Jaime’s little face.

 

**Sixteen**

Fitz’s sixteenth birthday came just two weeks after starting at SciTech. He was one of the two youngest cadets in the whole school. While being at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy was exciting and probably the greatest adventure that he had ever been on, right now it seemed to be no different than University had been. Everyone was still older than he was and Fitz still found it hard to talk to people, especially when nobody seemed to be particularly interested in talking to him. In some ways, SciTech was shaping out to be worse than Uni because people were really competitive here. It was like a race to be the best, the smartest, and the fastest to advance. Fitz wanted to be the best, sure, but he also didn’t really like to exert more effort than he had to. He certainly wasn’t like Jemma Simmons, the other youngest cadet, who always had her nose in a book, did all of the readings in advance, and had her hand in the air for every question asked in class. It might have been annoying if Fitz didn’t find it also strangely adorable. It was too bad that he could never find the words to say to her. He thought that there was a chance that she might be his friend if he could just impress her and show her that he was as clever as she was.

Fitz was so preoccupied with thinking about Jemma Simmons that he didn’t see the large cadet coming his way until he collided with a hard chest. The books that he was holding fell to the ground.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” The cadet yelled.

“Sorry, mate. But you could take a look where you’re walking as well,” Fitz snapped.

“What did you say to me, little nerd?” The burly cadet shoved him and Fitz stumbled backwards but held his ground. 

“Nerd?” He scoffed. “Really? Is that the derogatory term that you’re choosing to use? Aren’t we all ‘nerds’ here since we have to have an above 120 IQ and at least one Ph.D to get accepted? Maybe you belong in Operations, mate.”

The cadet shoved him hard and Fitz fell to the ground. “That’s where you belong, nerd! In the dirt!” He lifted his foot and Fitz curled into a ball, bracing himself for a kick and trying to protect his vital organs the way he had long since learned to do. 

“Hey!” A voice called. “Leave him alone!”

Fitz looked up to see Jemma Simmons, off all people, running towards him. Like this situation wasn’t humiliating enough, now Simmons had to be a witness to Fitz getting the crap kicked out of him.

Simmons stepped in between him and the cadet. “Leave him alone,” she repeated.

“Mind your own business, girl!”

“Girl?” Simmons crossed her arms in front of her chest. 

“You really do have limited brain capacity, don’t you? I’ve seen gorillas that are smarter and have a better vocabulary. How did you become a cadet here? Oh right, I know who you are. You’re Anthony Wright. Dr. Wright’s son. You didn’t make it into Operations so Dr. Wright got you in here so that he wouldn’t have to face the humiliation of having a son that was rejected by S.H.I.E.L.D. Here’s some advice, Wright. Pick on someone your own size or I’ll report you to Agent Weaver.”

Wright’s face reddened and Fitz thought for a second that he might hit Simmons. Fitz quickly stood up, ready to do what little he could to protect her. But Wright just clenched his fists and turned and walked away.

“Are you alright?” Simmons asked him. She started to help him pat away the dirt on his clothes and Fitz blushed and shied away, not used to people touching him unless they were shoving him like Wright had just done.

“M’fine. Thanks,” he mumbled, unable to look her in the eye so instead he bent down to pick up his books. Some of them had fallen open and the pages were horribly bent. Simmons kneeled down to help him and Fitz felt an electric charge run up his arm when her hand brushed against his. He blushed again and stood up abruptly.

“Thanks,” he said again and rushed away, not being able to stand a second longer in Simmons’ presence after she had to save him from a bully. Fitz has been bullied and picked on all his life. He had always been too small, too smart, too much of a smartarse. He’d suffered through his share of humiliating public scenes but this had to be the worst of them all. Why would Simmons want to be his friend now that she knew how weak he was? That he could so easily be pushed around and beaten up by guys like Wright?

He held his books to his chest and walked away as fast as he could, ignoring the fact that Simmons was calling his name.

When he walked into History of S.H.I.E.L.D. that afternoon, his desk in the back wasn’t empty. On the top lay the birthday card that he had received when he was five, one of his most cherished possessions. It must have fallen out of his Quantum Physics book that morning. Next to the card was a sandwich with his name on a note on the front.

Fitz sat down and unfolded the note.

_Hello Fitz,_

_I didn’t realize that it was your birthday today. Happy Birthday! I made you a sandwich. It’s prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella with my homemade pesto aioli. I know it sounds strange but I swear it’s delicious. I hope you’ll like it. If Wright gives you anymore trouble, be sure to report him to Agent Weaver straightaway. Have a good day, Fitz._

_Sincerely,  
Jemma Simmons_

Fitz looked to the front of the room where Simmons was sitting in the front row, staring straight ahead. He hoped she didn’t look back because she might see the tears forming in Fitz’s eyes that he was desperately trying to hold back. He’d been embarrassed enough for one day. No one but his mum ever greeted him on his birthday and he knew that it was hard for her because…well, Fitz never expected much from his mum on his birthday and he didn’t hold it against her. To be fair, no one ever really knew when Fitz’s birthday was because he didn’t like to celebrate it. But now Simmons knew.

He unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite. It was delicious. It was possibly the best sandwich he had ever tasted and it was definitely his favorite now. He dug in and by the time the professor walked into the room all that was left on the table was crumbs.

Fitz was so caught up in eating his sandwich that he didn’t notice the small peeks that Simmons snuck over her shoulder as she watched him practically demolish his food. He didn’t see the smile that didn’t leave her face all throughout class.

 

**Seventeen**

Fitz was not having a good day. It was only the third week of class and he already had more homework than he’d ever had in his life. It wouldn’t be so bad if he didn’t just come out of a summer of classes and labs because Simmons had it in her head that the two of them had to graduate from the Academy as early as possible and had convinced him to sign up for a full load of classes every term, including summer. He hadn’t even had a holiday and now he had to put up with this.

He trudged up the stairs and walked to his room, ready to just collapse on his bed and sleep the night away. Homework can go hang for the night. It was his birthday and he could sleep if he wanted to.

When he opened the door he was immediately greeted by a large balloon that popped up in front of his face. The balloon said ‘Happy Birthday’ and it was surrounded by smaller balloons in an array of different colors, all of them weighed down by small stones. He had to part the sea of balloons to get to the table in the middle of the room where Simmons was standing, wearing a cone shaped birthday hat.

“Happy Birthday!” She yelled, hugging him and placing a crown on his head.

Fitz fixed the crooked crown and was about to tell Simmons that he didn’t celebrate his birthday when he caught sight of a round lopsided cake on the table behind her. On top of the cake it said “Happy Birthday, Fitz” in crooked letters. Simmons had obviously baked it herself. It didn’t look like much but Fitz knew from experience that it would be delicious. Beside the cake were wrapped presents and a sandwich.

“Simmons,” he said, feeling choked up. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

“Nonsense! It’s your birthday, Fitz.”

He smiled at her. “You just like celebrating my birthday because it proves that I’m older than you.”

“Twenty-three days older.” She grinned. “Come on, you need to blow out the candles and make a wish.”

Fitz did as he was told. When he closed his eyes to make the first birthday wish since he was four years old, Fitz found that he had nothing to wish for. He already had what he had secretly wished for for so many years, a friend. A best friend. 

 

**Twenty-Six**

Fitz didn’t want his birthday to be a big deal and he begged Jemma to keep it from the others. But Coulson had his team’s personal files and when May told him that their new orders would be taking them to Paris, he insisted on a detour to Scotland to drop off their scientists.

“Are you sure this is wise?” She asked. “We might need them.”

“There will be a team on the ground, we can do without them for one mission.”

“I know you’re a soft touch, Coulson, but those two are here because they’re the best. You could compromise the rest of the team’s safety by-”

He held up a hand to cut off her lecture and May glared at him. Coulson reached across the desk and handed her a file.

“Read what happened on his fifth birthday,” he told her.

May did so and closed the file. “I’ll set the coordinates,” was all she said before walking out of the office.

**

“I can’t believe that Coulson let us have the weekend off!” Jemma was practically bouncing in excitement as they walked up the path to the house where Fitz’s mum lived.

Fitz suspected the reason why Coulson had given them unexpected leave and he didn’t appreciate the pity, but he wasn’t going to say no to a trip home. Not when he hadn’t seen his mum in over a year and Jemma was almost as excited as he was.

They had only made it halfway up the walkway when his mum threw open the front door and ran down to meet them. 

“Leo! Jemma!” She threw her arms around them both.

Fitz hugged his mum tightly and kissed her cheek.

“Happy birthday, Leo. I’m so glad you could make it home.”

“How did you know, mum? We were going to surprise you.” He looked accusingly over at Jemma.

She held up her hands. “It wasn’t me.”

“Your boss, Mr. Coulson, called, dear. He wanted to give me advance notice and I’m glad he did. Come in you two.”

They followed her into the house where an elaborate tea spread was set up in the living room. A large cake was on the table surrounded by all of Fitz’s favorite food. He turned to his mum, unable to speak.

“I know that I haven’t done much for your birthday in the past. That’s my fault and it’s probably the one thing your dad would be disappointed in about how I raised you. He loved your birthday and he loved you. It’s time we made it a happy occasion again.”

Fitz wrapped his arms around his mum and held her tightly. When he looked up over her shoulder he saw Jemma smiling back at him, her hands clutched to her chest and tears streaming down her cheeks.

He pulled away from his mum and wiped the tears from his own cheeks. “Let’s eat,” he said. “I’m bloody starving.”

Later, after Fitz had eaten so much he felt fit to burst, he made a request of his mum. Jemma offered to stay behind but Fitz knew that he needed her with him. And so the three of them set off, bundled up against the strong winds.

When they got to the cemetery, his mum and Jemma slowed their pace to chat with one another, and Fitz walked on ahead. He placed his bundle of flowers against the tombstone that said Arthur Leonard Fitz. He crouched down and ran his fingers over the name.

“Hey dad,” he said. “A lot has happened since the last time I was here. I’m in the field now. I’m part of a mobile team. It’s pretty exciting, we get to fly all over the place and pick up alien things. It’s dangerous too. I went on a mission all by myself. Well no, I was with Ward but I totally saved his life. He would’ve been dead if I hadn’t been with him. And I guess he saved me too. He’s an okay guy, he is, Ward. And it’s been scary too. Jemma, she almost…Well, let’s just say that Jemma is really brave. A lot braver than I am, that’s for sure.”

Fitz stood up and looked up at the sky for awhile. Fluffy white clouds swam against the sea of blue, constantly changing shape.

“I hope you’re proud of me, dad. I’m just trying to be half the man you were.”

He could hear his mum and Jemma walking up behind him. He put his arm around his mum’s shoulders and Jemma took his other hand in hers. He squeezed it tightly and threaded their fingers together.

Fitz was spending his birthday with his three favorite people and he couldn’t think of a better way to spend it.

 

**Twenty-Seven**

Fitz knew that Skye and the others meant well but the last thing that he wanted was a party. He didn’t want to hurt their feelings so Fitz sat there and opened his presents, stopping when his hand started shaking so uncontrollably that the box he was holding fell to the ground and shattered whatever was inside it to pieces. Fitz mumbled his apologies and told the group he was tired. Skye offered to bring him to his room but he shook her off. He couldn’t stand the pity that he saw in their eyes, even in May’s. Fitz knew things were bad when he could read May’s emotions on her face.

He wanted to get away from all of them. He wanted to be alone. He wanted…

He leaned his head against the door of his bunk. It didn’t matter what he wanted.

“Fitz?”

He opened his eyes, hope filling his chest. He knew she wouldn’t be able to stay away today of all days! He turned and almost fell to his knees in relief when he saw Jemma. She was back! She came back for him.

“Jemma!” He said. “Where have you been? N-n-no. Doesn’t…’m glad you-you came back.”

She smiled. “You shouldn’t have left them, Fitz,” she said gently. “They just want to celebrate with you.”

“Only want…you…” He lowered his eyes and tried not to fidget with his bad hand. He didn’t want to say anything that would scare her away again.

“Fitz?” Trip rounded the corner. “Hey man, just wanted to make sure you made it to your room okay. Don’t worry about the party, alright? Just get some rest.”

“J-jemma’s back!” Fitz said excitedly.

Trip’s brow wrinkled. “What? No one has come into the base today, man.”

“N-no…look!” He turned around but Jemma wasn’t there. It was a long hallway and there was no way she could have walked away without Trip seeing her.

“Are you okay, Fitz?” Trip asked in concern. “Do we need to get-”

“N-no,” Fitz said sharply. He didn’t need more doctors. “’M just tired. I n-need sleep.”

“Okay.” Trip patted his shoulder. “Get some rest. If you need anything let me know.”

Fitz unlocked his bunk and lay down on the bed. Did he wish for Jemma so hard that he imagined her? Where was she? She couldn’t still be with her parents. She’d be going crazy from the lack of work. Why did she leave? He knew the answer and his heart ached from it.

 

**Twenty-Eight**

Skye didn’t throw him a birthday party this year. No one even mentioned his birthday. Fitz was barely sleeping, barely eating. He worked around the clock. He had to get her back.

They had taped off the room, forbidden everyone from entering. That didn’t stop Fitz. He walked into the room and stared at the black rock, just sitting there. 

He wanted to throw things at it, yell and rage. He wanted to open the door and let it take him too. He didn’t do either.

He walked up to the glass and pressed his hand against it.

“Give her back,” Fitz whispered. “Please. Please…”

The rock didn’t do anything. Of course it didn’t.

“I’ll find you, Jemma. I swear I’ll find you and bring you home.”

He fell to his knees and leaned his forehead against the glass. “I can’t live if I don’t.”

 

_Bonus:_

**Thirty-Two**

When Fitz opened his eyes he was greeted by the sight of his wife staring back at him. If it wasn’t the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life he might have been frightened.

“It’s creepy when you do that,” he said.

She smiled. “Happy birthday.”

Fitz yawned and Jemma wrinkled her nose as she caught a whiff of his morning breath. “Where did the romance go in this relationship?” She asked.

“Right here.” Fitz tackled her and attempted to kiss her. Jemma squealed and pushed his face away.

“Fitz!” She kicked and squirmed and screamed in laughter as he tickled her and pressed kisses all over her face.

Somehow, and Fitz didn’t know how, Jemma managed to gain the upper hand and flipped him over onto his back, straddling his chest. Fitz certainly wasn’t going to argue against the delightful view he now had. Jemma leaned over and trapped his hands above his head. She kissed him all over his face except for his lips. Fitz pouted.

“Don’t you want your present?” She asked.

Fitz nodded eagerly, having a good idea of what his present was, his body already responding.

Jemma moved off of him and got off the bed. When she walked into the bathroom he was confused but he wasn’t going to complain if his present involved a wardrobe change. Jemma had surprised him with some very nice things in the past. He quickly stripped off his shirt and shorts and laid out on the bed in anticipation.

When Jemma came out of the bathroom she was still wearing the same pajamas and was holding a small box with a large bow on top of it. 

“Fitz!” She said when she saw him lying there naked.

“What? You said you were giving me a present.”

“Oh Fitz.” She rolled her eyes and sat down beside him on the bed.

He didn’t bother to cover up as he took the box from her, they were way past the point in their relationship where they needed to be embarrassed about such things. 

He was more confused than ever when he saw that his present was a pharmacy box. It wasn’t until he peeled off the ribbon that he saw that it was a pregnancy test. He looked up at Jemma his eyes wide.

“Take a look,” she urged.

Fitz shook out the stick and stared down at the little blue plus sign.

“Happy?” Jemma asked when Fitz was silent for far too long.

He threw his arms around Jemma and squeezed her tightly. “Oh Jemma, our own little monkey!”

Jemma laughed and nodded. He kissed her deeply, trying to convey all of his love and happiness.

“Best present ever,” he said, pressing his forehead to hers.

“Really? I think I can top it.” She pushed him onto his back and straddled him again. Fitz knew without a doubt that this was his best birthday ever.

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't stand leaving the end on an angsty note so I added in some bonus future AU fluff. Hope you enjoyed my little present to our favorite little monkey. :)


End file.
